What Can I Copyright? What Types of Works Cannot be Copyrighted?
Question: What Can I Copyright? What Types of Works Cannot be Copyrighted?
A copyright is an ownership of an intellectual property that is:
Answer:
Types of Creative Works That Can Be Copyrighted?
You can copyright:
Publication is not necessary for copyrighting, but your work must somehow be preserved or be able to be reproduced, to be copyrighted. The U.S. Copyright Office says you should consider this list in its broadest meanings. It's almost impossible to list all the specific types of works that can be copyrighted.
Types of Works That Cannot be Protected by Copyright
You cannot copyright
Copyrighting Websites and Domain Names
You can copyright original authorship on a website, including the artwork/logo, writing, photos, videos, basically anything on your website that can otherwise be copyrighted. Domain names are not protected by copyright law.
A copyright is an ownership of an intellectual property that is:
- an original creation
- which is in a tangible form
- and which falls within the U.S. Copyright Act.
Answer:
Types of Creative Works That Can Be Copyrighted?
You can copyright:
- literary works, including computer programs and other "compilations"
- musical works, including lyrics
- pantomimes and choreographic works (if they have been recorded)
- pictorial works (includes maps and architectural plans), graphics, sculpture
- movies and other audiovisual works
- sound recordings
- architectural works
Publication is not necessary for copyrighting, but your work must somehow be preserved or be able to be reproduced, to be copyrighted. The U.S. Copyright Office says you should consider this list in its broadest meanings. It's almost impossible to list all the specific types of works that can be copyrighted.
Types of Works That Cannot be Protected by Copyright
You cannot copyright
- Works that are not fixed in some tangible form of expression. For example, if you give a speech and it isn't recorded or if you don't have the speech written out, you can't copyright it.
- Titles, names, short phrases and slogans
- Familiar symbols or designs, mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering or coloring
- Mere listings of ingredients or contents (but a recipe with instructions or directions can be copyrighted
- Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devises, as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustration
- Works that are "common property" and have no original authorship, for example standard calendars, tape measures and rules, height and weight charts, lists or tables taken from public documents or other common sources.
Copyrighting Websites and Domain Names
You can copyright original authorship on a website, including the artwork/logo, writing, photos, videos, basically anything on your website that can otherwise be copyrighted. Domain names are not protected by copyright law.
